Shocker SB at GCU Kickoff Classic

[1972Shocker]

That a girl, Taylor. More of that will certainly make it easier on Lauren.

[1972Shocker]

Way to debut freshman! Catelyn Beckersley with opposite field 2-run homer.

With 2-outs, Ellee Eck is hit by a pitch for the 2nd time in the game and 5-3 Jodie Epperson delivers her 2nd home run of the game. Shocks lead 10-4.

[1972Shocker]

Another good debut from a freshman. Ava Sliger comes on in relief of Alex in the top of the 6th and sets down NIU in order on three ground balls using only 11 pitches.

[1972Shocker]

Ava got into a little 2-out trouble in the 7th but got out of it as the Shockers take a 10-4 win over Northern Illinois to open the season.

So much for small ball. 5 Shocker home runs, 2 by Mighty Mouse, produced 9 of the Shockers' 10 runs.

Other than Alex's kerfuffle in the 3rd inning the pitching was pretty decent.

[flyingMoose]

Other Friday games

Montana 11-4 Colgate

Northern Illinois 11-3(5) Montana

Colgate 0-8(5) GCU

[flyingMoose]

Game Two

Shockers at Grand Canyon

Starters: Same - Ellee, Jodie, Lauren, Taylor, Sami, Caroline, Camryn, Catelyn, Kristyn with Chloe in the circle. Maggie Place, a transfer from Oklahoma Baptist, is pitching for the Antelopes. A bit of a surprise?

It's the same drill as before with the posts.


Ellee opens the game with a single. After a forceout, Lauren walks on four pitches, but neither Taylor or Sami can get a run home. The Lopes are down in order with one K by Chloe. No score after one.

Caroline is hit-by-pitch to start the Shocker second, and Camryn moves her to second with a sac bunt. A single by Catelyn and the Shocks have runners at the corners. A ground out by Kristyn advances Catelyn to second, and Ellee drives two runs home with a single .

GCU is down in order again with two more Ks by Chloe. 2-0, Shocks, after two.

Golden, the ace for the Antelopes, is on to start the third. Coach Hays is trying to manage the game so that Golden only goes through the lineup twice? The Shockers get a double by Taylor and a hit batter but cannot score. 2-0 in the middle of the third.

With two outs in the fourth, GCU doubles. An infield single and a wild throw on the play score a run. 2-1 Shockers after three.

Three up, three down in the Shocker fourth. The Lopes get a one-out single, and the pinch-runner steals second, but the threat dies on a strike out and fly out. 2-1 after four.

Luren doubles with one out in the fifth, and Taylor follows with a walk. Sami loads the bases with a bunt single. A single by Caroline scores Lauren and Taylor and leaves runners at the corners. Darwin enters the circle for GCU. Caroline moves up on a wild pitch. Sami tries to score on Camryn's ground ball but is out in a rundown. Another out and the Shocks are done in the fifth. 4-1 in its middle.

Three batters, three outs for GCU, with another K for Chloe. 4-1 after five.

In the top of the sixth, an error by GCU is erased by a 6-4-3 double play. GCU singles with two outs, ending a string of seven consecutive outs. Chloe's seventh K ends the inning. 4-1 after six.

With one out, Taylor has an infield single, and Sami reaches on an error. A fourth pitcher is in the game for the Lopes. A walk promptly loads the bases, but the next two Shocks are outs. Three straight Antelopes are outs, and the Shocks win.

Shockers 4-1 Grand Canyon


Seven strong innings by Chloe: one unearned run, four hits and a walk, and nine strikeouts.

[1972Shocker]

Yes, the games is on ESPN+

[shocks02]

Chloe Barber looked very sharp in the first inning. Hitting spots and mixing pitches. Working ahead in the count.

[BAShocker]

Thess might be the most boring ESPN+ announcers of all time.

[1972Shocker]

The single by Catelyn was off the wall directly over the head of the leftfielder but Caroline had to hold up as the ball looked like it might be caught and the leftfielder did a good job playing the ball off the wall and getting it back in to 2nd base.

[WuDrWu]

The single by Catelyn was off the wall directly over the head of the leftfielder but Caroline had to hold up as the ball looked like it might be caught and the leftfielder did a good job playing the ball off the wall and getting it back in to 2nd base.

Catelyn ripped that, hard. The freshman appears to have some pop and a really nice swing. She just popped up in the infield but she doesn’t look overmatched at all.

[shocks02]

This version of Barber will win a lot of games. She was a little shaken in the third after some shaky defense, but otherwise she has been in control.

[shocks02]

Left too many in scoring position, otherwise a fairly dominant win. Feels like a repeatable performance.

[OSShock]

Need to get Ava some reps tomorrow.

[1972Shocker]

Might have a couple of holes in the lineup. Sami not looking too good so far but we need her glove in the lineup but might need to move her down to the 8 hole. Cam Compton didn't do much today at the DP. I suspect others will get a shot at that over the remaining 3 games.

GCU is a decent program so this win was by no means assured. Chloe wasn't spectacular but she was about as solid as she could be and pretty much avoided putting herself in predicaments. 1 unearned run on 4 hits with 9 strikeouts and only 1 free pass in a complete game win against a solid opponent that is use to winning, especially at home.

Key hits for the Shocks were Catelyn's single off the left field wall and Ellee's 2-out, 2-run single up the middle in the 2nd inning. And Lauren's double to left center with 1-out in the 5th, followed by a walk to Taylor and bunt single back to an immobile pitcher by Sami to load the bases for Caroline's 2-run single of the wall in left center.